AST/SC1-SC6 Permanent Official

AST/SC Competitions (Secretaries & Clerks)

Administrative support, office management, clerical tasks. Permanent positions accessible with secondary education only. The entry point to an EU career.

Overview

AST/SC (Secretaries and Clerks) competitions recruit for clerical, secretarial, and administrative support roles. This is the most accessible permanent official category, requiring only secondary education. Grades span AST/SC1 to AST/SC6.

AST/SC roles focus on office management, document preparation, coordination of department activities, and general administrative support. While the grade ceiling is lower than AST, these are permanent positions with full benefits and job security.

Entry Requirements

EU citizenship with full civic rights
Secondary education diploma (minimum requirement)
AST/SC1: secondary education + relevant experience or vocational qualification
AST/SC2: secondary education + minimum 4 years relevant experience
Two official EU languages at specified levels

Selection Tests

Stage 1: Computer-based MCQ tests at EPSO accredited test centres
Stage 2: Assessment phase for highest-scoring MCQ candidates
E-tray exercise
General competency-based interview
Two field-specific tests
7 general competencies assessed

Typical Roles

Office management and department coordination
Document preparation and file management
Meeting organisation and agenda management
Information compilation and dissemination
Team and manager administrative support

Salary & Benefits

AST/SC1 Step 1: approx. EUR 3,200/month gross. Full permanent official benefits: expatriation allowance, healthcare, EU pension, education allowances for children.

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Other competition tracks

AD Competitions (Administrators) AST Competitions (Assistants) CAST Permanent (Contract Agents)

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